“Where is Cammy?”

  Thanks to every day I spend with Cammy, I know that her classes were supposed to end an hour ago.

  When she gets back, she uses her free time to finish her homework and pick up where we left off the previous day. That means we should’ve started talking twenty minutes ago. But today she didn't even text me after class.

  “Maybe something happened to her.”

  This will sound a bit too rude, but she’s an idiot. She knows some of her attitudes are bad, she knows she’s damaging herself a lot, but she can’t stop just because she already dug too much to get out. I can totally imagine her helping her classmates just to maintain her image, ignoring the fact that she needs to rest after a while.

  I had many ideas about what I could do. None of them completely convinced me... And others... were impossible to carry out.

  “I can go to see her… But what am I supposed to say…?”

  Knowing that I could do something is probably the worst… I mean, if she knew that we go to the same school, and if she knew that I know it… Everything would be very uncomfortable.

  We started talking a year ago, and I immediately noticed that we’re in the same school thanks to the events and to some students I heard the few days I go there, mainly because the online classes program requires some things to be sent directly if the student lives close enough to the place. Maybe as a way to make people like me interact with other students? I don't care...

  “If I go with her, I could even talk?”

  Sometimes, I try to practice how to talk with people, but those practices are totally different to the real world. I mean, talking to a lifeless object is totally different from talking with someone.

  “I would say something like…”

  In a very embarrassing way, I confronted one of my stuffed animals and acted as if I were talking to Cammy.

  “Don’t worry, I’m older than you, I know what I’m talking about… Yeah, only by a year, but that’s already something!”

  That's how I wanted to sound, but realistically, it was just a fantasy. In front of real people, I couldn't even get my voice out. These practices are useless, but at least they make me think I'm actually trying to improve.

  My bad performance was interrupted when I saw my computer and noticed a little change on Cammy’s PFP.

  “Oh, the circle is green.”

  She was finally online, so it was a good moment to send a message. But this time she talked to me first.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi. Usually you are here early.”

  “A and L invited me to do something, so I was busy with that.”

  “It was fun?”

  “We were playing a dating simulator.”

  “I played some of those before. It was a good one?”

  “It was a little cliche, the graphics weren’t the best, and the developers clearly didn’t test it a single time. But it was fun with people.”

  “Playing videogames with people from your class, maybe the changes are finally starting.”

  “I don’t like that kind of jokes.”

  “Yeah yeah.”

  Wanting to presume an item I got yesterday, I started one of the many games we play almost every day. And when she was connected, we started the voice call.

  “Look!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “Where did you get that one?”

  “Follow me, maybe we can get one for you.”

  We moved to the area where I got the item and started farming until she could get one. But I noticed something was wrong when she received some hits.

  “... Are you distracted today?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I know your armor reflects most of the damage of weak enemies, but you just lose some HP. That only happens if you’re not paying attention.”

  “Maybe I just failed the hit.”

  “All of your weapons attack the area.”

  “...I guess I can’t trick you… I’m thinking of something else…”

  “It’s about tests?”

  “No, I’m pretty good with that.”

  “Then?”

  “It’s just… Ugh…”

  “I turned the volume down, you can do that.”

  “I think I’m doing something wrong!”

  When she starts with that, she becomes unable to regulate her own voice, so we agreed that she can do it only if my volume is 75% or less. Otherwise my eardrums would explode.

  “What is the problem?”

  “I helped with some of the answers in the dating simulator… and now I feel like I’m talking the wrong way to everyone! People always had bad thoughts about me and I was ignoring it?!”

  “First of all, calm down. Pet your turtle and, once you're calm, you can explain everything.”

  “R-Right…”

  I was able to hear Cammy’s breathing, and it was so obvious how stressed she was. Luckily, she can calm down quickly after these moments. If she didn’t have that skill, her act wouldn’t be possible.

  “Better?”

  “Kind of…”

  “Okay, explain yourself, without losing your temper if possible...”

  “We played the game helping A to give some answers. At some point she selected the answer by herself.”

  “That’s not weird.”

  “It's not... But my answer... They said my answer was too superficial, like I was just trying to please the male character...”

  “And now you feel paranoid about that.”

  “If I’m that obvious, who else thinks that about my way of talking with others?!”

  “Technically they wouldn’t be wrong…”

  “Ugh…”

  Some people will say that she needs someone comprehensive and kind, but I think she needs someone direct with their words. Someone that always gives you the reason and treats you kindly is probably one of the worst help someone can receive. I’m just justifying my way to talk to her? Maybe, but let's not change the topic.

  Now, she will have problems sleeping if keep thinking about that, so I proceeded with the other thing I wanted to say.

  “... I don’t think they analyzed your words that much. Probably they thought you were trying to get the affection of the character. I mean, it’s a dating simulator.”

  “Right…”

  “They won’t discover you just for one comment. A lie is even more complicated to discover when it’s seen as something that must be true.”

  “You’re right...”

  “So you can keep being an idiot that cannot be honest a single time.”

  “I feel hidden hostility in those words.”

  “Hidden? I thought I was being direct.”

  “...”

  “Let’s keep playing.”

  “Yeah.”

  We continued playing. And eventually, I was unable to hear her breathing, so I did a good job calming her.

  "Can't we use some bombs?"

  "The drop rate divides if you kill the enemy with explosions."

  "What kind of mechanic is that?"

  "Complain when farming areas turns into minefields."

  After that, our conversation and gameplay were everything except static. We told each other everything we wanted to say, and that continued until she got a bit too emotional talking to me.

  “Thanks for that…”

  “I just like to use my wisdom to help my dumb friend.”

  I thought she would respond in a negative way, but surprisingly, she continued with the good mood.

  “It's great to have a friend like you.”

  “I’m doing my best.”

  “I hope next year we can keep talking often.”

  “Don’t worry, I will balance college and my hobbies.”

  “You’re gonna study something amazing?”

  “I don’t think so… Maybe something with a good job prospect, and then I will try an office job or something that I can do at home… If I'm responsible with my money, I could do something that would allow me to retire early."

  “You don’t have any great dreams?”

  “I already got some money translating books and other things. Even the college will probably be something secondary. The world isn’t kind to people like me.”

  My interactions with clients would be sad and useless. And I couldn’t even manage a job without interaction with the public. After all, jobs want a good laboral environment and cooperation. things that aren’t my specialty.

  “That’s a little sad. But if that’s the case, you should try to enjoy even more that you are a high school student.”

  “I’m okay with this.”

  “And I'm the dumb one...”

  "I don't criticize your lifestyle"

  "... Yes, you do."

  "Yes, but at least I don't complain about the things I do to myself."

  "One day I'll come to your house and punch you in the face."

  "Try it."

  I thought she would continue with some other threat or insult... But her response hurt a little...

  "Now that I think about it, it wouldn't be very cool?"

  “What?"

  "You know, being friends in real life."

  “... That would be amazing.”

  “Yeah. I would go to your house and force you to go to classes. You would be scared, but I would help you to interact with every student.”

  “And we could try fun things like eating together or going to the stores you frequent.”

  “I like the idea.”

  “Some time you could video call me and visit some funny places.”

  “... I guess that works… But you know, some things cannot be understood only with images.”

  Part of me wanted to give her a reason, wanted to tell her we could try, wanted to tell her we weren't talking about something hypothetical… But, fear was stronger than any desire…

  “Look, I got the item.”

  “Really?!”

  “Yeah, check it.”

  Maybe I scold her very often, but…somehow, we’re the same.

  I heard opposites attract, but based on my experiences, that is totally fake.